A conventional software development system provides a framework within which software developers can create and maintain a software application. For example, such a system typically enables multiple software developers to write and store source code of the software application, as well as manage, build and test different versions of the application based on that source code.
Along these lines, suppose that a software developer wishes to modify existing source code which resides in a particular file. Perhaps the software developer wishes to implement an enhancement to the application or fix a software bug. To modify the existing source code, the software developer typically exports or “checks out” a local copy of the particular file from the system and edits the source code in the local copy, e.g., on a software development workstation. Once the software developer finishes modifying the source code in the local copy, the software developer commits or “checks in” the modified source code into the system and the system responds by safely and reliably writing the modified source code back into the system.
Some conventional software development systems are equipped with a feature which enables software developers to inform each other when modified source code has been committed. In such a system, after the software developer commits modified source code back into the system, the system automatically informs the other software developers that the modified source code has been committed.